Night Ravers/Places of Travel/2007
Quarlesbank - The Pitman Mansion
After the New Year's stopover, Kono had to return to MDK due to pressing undead business. The Ravers proceeded on to the Pitman Mansion, where they met up with Malton Tours Inc, Gingerbread Men, and the Pitman Pitbulls, with even the occasional Zookeeper. The Fortress, working gathering security, largely kept to themselves, which may have been wise.
The mansion was sectioned off for various activities such as dancing, drinking, talking and, of course, taunting the self proclaimed pinata by covering it in punch and sparkles. The usual mayhem ensued - Masonic werecreatures attacking Primeval, someone inadvertently releasing the grue from the attic, and dancing zombies. While quite a rowdy good time, there were several instances that cast a pall on the festivities: an altercation involving Ram Rock Ed First whereupon his legs were devoured by Gogo, a Ginger murdering two party guests and attempting to murder Gogo, and the recurring apparition of Lord Pitman and his manservant Bruno, who stalked through the halls occasionally murdering partygoers.
Never the less, Nebulous pulled off a rave at the climax of the party much to the enjoyment of all.
Shuttlebank - Club Haber
While at this stop over and re-gathering place on the way to the Zoo, the Ravers and Gingers meet up with Peter Steele of the Caiger Mall Survivors (at the time) and proceed to challenge his serious demeanor such that he left wearing a sombrero and carrying a baggie of a most suspect substance.
This is also the birthplace of the other signature drink of the Night Ravers, the Flaring Comet. A potent mix of a variety of spicy ingredients, those who choke on it will find themselves in a significant amount of pain thereafter.
A set was performed by Bin Laden's Daughter and Agent Pink decided to try La Muerte Loca and acted as the group's pet zombie. He was subsequently joined by two other dancing zombies for quite a chorus line.
Brooke Hills - The Crabbe Arms and Kempsterbank - the Aquarium of the Malton City Zoo
While not the usual sort of venue for the Ravers, the Crabbe Arms was considered close enough to the Zoo for the Ravers and Gingers to go and visit the 2nd Annual Zombie Fishbake under the aegis of the Sun Organization. Bin Laden's Daughter, fueled by beer and Flaring Comets, among other things serenaded the pub with their "Kali Yuga", while HungryKiwi performed her own version of "Dead Man's Chest."
The Fishbake itself was the predictably chaotic affair. As the aquarium traditionally has no barricades to begin with, partygoers were both living and dead. However as one might expect there were a number of zombies unable to resist the taste of the living on offer. Still, many people enjoyed the affair undaunted, proving that life and unlife can mix quite strangely after years of quarantine.
However the less sentient, or amiable, hordes eventually became too numerous and it was time to relocate.
Kempsterbank - Club Mothersele
The Gingerbread Men took their leave to go and celebrate the anniversary of their Candyland expedition. Some of the zoo inhabitants joined the Ravers at the nightclub to take refuge from the horde overrunning their natural habitats, as we took a breather. Gogo was particularly taken with the octopus and it with her, or perhaps more accurately, it was fascinated at the prospect of eating Ebi-Sama.
Galbraith Hills - Club Colkes
A lost lamb returns to the fold as kittenkong resurfaces, much to everyone's happiness. We also happen upon a young romanti-goth named Carla Teach who soon joins us, along with RyuDougs, a freshly baked Ginger.
Gailbraith Hills proves to be a fairly dangerous area and break ins are frequent, but spirits remain high. A plot is hatched to travel to Shore Hills, as there is a fairly serious group called FER that it is generally believed are in need of pestering for karmic payback.
In preparation for this journey, Gogo uses the pelt of a an enormous teddy bear to transform herself into some sort of bizarre teddy bear shaman.
Shore Hills - Club Chalderwood
The campaign to "entertain" FER begins with a number of odd visitations to the Brennand Building wherein Night Ravers aggressively decorate the building and deliver long and dadaist speeches. However, being good sports, we also tend to the onslaught of undead that regularly break into their headquarters as well.
Bette Noir takes a few days to run a personal errand - meeting with John Blast for drinks at Pole Mall and then proceeding on to Vinetown in search of Kono, whom she has not heard from in some time. The trip does not go well.
On returning to Shore Hills, it is clear the situation has become quite unamusing, not only due to zombies, but also due to a shadowy figure stalking Kaj Bobakar, so it is decided to move on. Before going, "Annual Gift Monkey No Occasion in Particular Bird who Gives Gifts Day" is celebrated and RyuDougs tells of its origins.
Ruddlebank - Club Rodham
Due to a last minute siege and subsequent massacre, there is a stop off in Lockettside as the Ravers pick up the pieces. From Ruddlebank, they hope to offer some aid to some friends of the Ginger's meself, The 'Sards. There are visits from the staff of Tikhon Medical and the 'Sards themselves as they rest and recuperate from dealing with stalkers and the then current Mall Tour assaulting Tompson.
Aladdin Sain returns to the group, but Chemical Mike is still among the missing. The Ravers enjoy the company of the locals, eat chocolate rabbits for Easter and do their best to fend off the fringes of the Mall Tour before they wander off in search of Angry Hamish dolls.
Several members go missing, only to come staggering back in various states of disrepair. Night Haunter becomes obsessed with Ebi-sama, and shrimp in general, for a period of time. Gogo takes a bath in the middle of the nightclub to interesting effect. scorHPOTD becomes the first renown murderer to realise it may be more enjoyable to simply drink rather than kill anyone in the club environs. After all is said and done, Nebulous feels up to throwing a rave for everyone before it is time to go.
Greentown - Lerwill Towers / Kempsterbank - Club Blackburn / Crowbank - Club Head
As the nightclubs in the area are unsafe, the Ravers take shelter in the apartment block in Greentown. It is here that the Ravers encounter Physiognomist Cley who begins an on again/off again association with us, as well as a young man named Kistu kun, whom Bette takes under her wing as a protege, despite Doc Kelly's misgivings about his resemblance to the missing Ixion Fox.
At a quick stopover in Kempsterbank, much like Ixion Fox, Kitsu kun seems to attract trouble and suffers a few attempted assaults, with at least one attacker severely "warned" by Bette Noir not to repeat the incident. The magic of the "Healing Prawn" is demonstrated for a number of the locals, including Captain America, who rather takes a shine to Gogo.
RyuDougs coins the term "Sorpapotamous!" HungryKiwi and snoozies disappear.
In Crowbank, long distance politicking rears its ugly head in a dispute involving the Sacred Ground Policy. Gogo mourns the disappearance of Reaper87. Morlond continues to scout ahead with the battle cry "Acetaminophen!"
It is a time of many random pronouncements.
Vinetown - Club Threadgould and Club Atthill
Our old friends MDK suffer difficulties with a small horde of suspiciously similar zombies going under the name ZDK. Despite the threat, most of the Ravers manage to converge on the club, which comes under siege shortly enough.
Threadgould is won and lost, and the group falls back to a school and then Club Atthill, leaving Threadgould as a decoy. The cavalry arrives in the unlikely forms of Doc Kelly, Aladdin Sain and Duncanator, which some how leads to an attack of extreme Canadianity in meself. Gogo prophesies that First will appear soon.
To blow off steam due to the constant threat, Bette Noir and Morlond engage in a fencing duel through Club Atthill, which then gives way to a rubber chicken duel between Gogo and meself. All of this is a precursor to one of Nebulous' raves, after which Kitsu kun is offered membership in the Gingerbread Men by the enthusiastic meself, RyuDougs and Night Haunter.
Stanbury Village - Club Bartin
Deciding that both Nichols Mall and the Kersley Mansion provide interesting clothing options, the Ravers settle in to Club Bartin (the clothing being a good idea in as much as wsx had forgotten to wear trousers).
The Ravers are joined by the ironically good humoured Roachtown Ripper, a masked killer who none the less proves quite amiable company. Chemical Mike also manages to catch up at last.
Night Haunter delivers an enormous surprise by spotting Ixion Fox in the Dann Hotel. While Bette is in the midst of a brief reunion with Ixion, she is murdered by Mr No Skill. A wrestler by the name of Icehawg takes a shine to the Ravers back at Bartin, as does the cultured Countess of Vexforth. Both they and Ripper decide to travel on with the Ravers to their next stop.
First, however, Nebulous holds a rave to celebrate new friends found. Exits are then quickly made as LUE's two hundred undead descend on Nichols Mall.
Heytown - The Craske Museum
In what turns out to be a delightful stopover, the Ravers meet the Mad Craskers who turn out to be more than a match for the usual depravity and mayhem, from the odd fetishes of JimmyBonez to the impromptu offers of unnecessary surgery by Pants McGee. Snoozies rearrives on the scene.
The Craskers are so entertaining, as a matter of fact, that the Ravers stay over the 4th of July holiday, Nebulous is moved to throw a rave for the museum's eccentric staff and Aladdin Sain plays a number of BLD tunes (although Ripper does wind up having several nightmares involving clowns).
RyanWolven arrives and is vouched for by Doc Kelly as a volunteer to become the Raver's new zombie mascot.
Rhodenbank - Club Meatyard
The club is only a few blocks from the reknowned Brain Museum, noted as the final resting place of the Shacknews horde (of whom the Ravers had the dubious honour of "witnessing" their birth). It is also discovered, thanks to the proximity of the puppet museum nearby, that Ripper has a phobia of puppets, which is somewhat allayed by Gogo's gift of a stuffed badger.
Chemical Mike at last rejoins the group, making the trio of Bin Laden's Daughter whole again for the time being. Bette Noir shows a most disturbing safety film and the crew goes about an art project in Rhodenbank. A new, and rare, concoction is created using liquor, Red Hots, and bits of Night Haunter called a Red Hot Haunter.
It is certainly a time of interesting characters, including the Chthonic cultist, Senister, Penny Black of the Batwing Brigade who proves to be an excellent cook and bartender, and then the privilege of hosting Gore Corps for Heiki's retirement party. Another rave is had to mark the occasion and Bette Noir and sebff1 become reacquainted.
The number of zombies outside does continue to mount, just as a strange creature makes himself known, betaraybill, who joins the merry festivities. The Corps take their leave to get back with whatever business they had. Ram Rock Ed First reappears leading to a good natured brawl with meself, ending in a gift of stiletto heels for the Countess and First's head in her cleavage (as well as various prophesies of the apocalypse).
RyanWolven is brought to zombiehood for the first time and proves to be a bit free with his undead hands and the ladies. Nebulous freakishly reconstructs First's body. Plans are made with Penny Black to hold a joint event at Club Mold, Malton's premeire goth club - a Batrave.
Dulston - Club Mold
As a run up to the BatRave, the Night Ravers hold the Club Mold Scavenger Hunt, which quickly fills the goth club with so many artifacts that the decor spills over into neighbouring buildings.
Ram Rock Ed First becomes very concerned by someone called the Devil Devil Man whom he claims is looking to take his soul. Gogo offers to enter into a dance contest with the Devil Man (although this is never actually resolved). Nebulous, and the Countess develops a taste for returning RyanWolven to his undead state, which somehow leads to a discussion of the romantic prospects of the female Ravers.
Club Mold proves to be a bit of a draw for the living and the dead. Bette Noir takes an interest in one of the zombies outside, John Mortimer, and scent lures him to a powered Necrotech, then the club, where she begins reacquainting him with the world of the living. cjspearing arrives and makes the mistake of eating LSD-laced ginger, contributing to a surreal experience in general.
Doc Kelly returns from a long field trip looking for exotic materials for the scavenger hunt and begins spotting pixies. John Mortimer decides to join up with this "new horde" as Bette Noir's companion and meself extolls to him the virtues of the five pound splitting maul as a replacement for John's claws. Sain and Mike vanish along with Kitsu kun.
As the three day BatRave conducted by The Batwing Brigade begins, cjspearing makes a wager with Bette Noir that they can hold the club for four more days versus the increasing onslaught of dead outside. Janos Kire soon joins in on the wager as well as between show improv musical duets with Tsubasa Kurosaki, infatuating Gogo.
After the rave, the barricades begin falling at increasing pace and the crowd of ten undead outside prompts a return to the Meatyard.
Rhodenbank - Club Meatyard
Bette Noir settles with cjspearing, giving him the requested payment of a silver bat winged ankh pendant on a wrought silver chain in return for his help in keeping the barricades up during the event. Doc Kelly brings the pixies from the previous bar (where they were before then is anyone's guess).
Several Ravers drift into a peyote induced trance, including cjspearing, who drifts into hibernation. RyanWolven is revived and killed a number of times, but that is the least of the Ravers problems as some of the old rotters from Mold follow the noise to Meatyard. Janos Kire goes out to go it zombie-a-zombie leaving Gogo bereft.
The break ins continue to the rate of twice a day. Once the group is regathered, it is time to move on. Fond farewells are said to Summermae and Penny Black of Batwing.
Gibsonton - Club Popham
Slowly, the Ravers and Gingers come to the club. RyuDougs and meself provide a fair amount of dadaist commentary while Gogo works to repair the laser rig damaged in the recent break ins.
Janos Kire returns to the company and makes short work of RyanWolven, returning him to his undead state (despite threats to heal him, which snoozies would not abide. Instead, she seems attracted to him.). Doc Kelly apparently now travels with her "pixies" in a bag and installs them under the bar. A couple of well known murderers pass through the club without incident, although without much to say either.
meself creates the Flaming Malton - a combination of high potency vodka, pharmaceuticals, and gasoline which costs Doc Kelly her eyebrows. Gogo outlines her own personal mythic quest, and the parts everyone is to play, at least as she sees it. The winner of the Scavenger Hunt is announced and Tsubasa Kurosoki receives a stylized skeleton pin as his award. The Countess of Vexforth is officially invited to join the Ravers and accepts.
HungryKiwi and wsx reappear after long absences, as well as cjspearing, betaraybill and Icehawg after much shorter ones. There is a bit of posturing among the men as they assess each other, but otherwise the atmosphere is lively, including pixie antics, strip poker, and random drink roulette, which leaves cjspearing paralyzed.
Bette Noir promises a surprise will await the Ravers at the end of their next long journey. Ram Rock Ed First returns as they leave, visibly upset.
Randalbank - Club Polkinghorne
Indulging in cjspearing's "homegrown" allows his sister Pixen to see the pixies everyone has been on about, which may have been the inspiration for spearing to go tribal, ingesting further peyote and working with bones. Morlond smuggles in a wheel of cheddar to satisfy spearing's cheese cravings.
At this brief stopover, HungryKiwi decides that she needs to play a prank, and chooses Bette Noir for a target after misinterpreting Bette's concern for safety in the rafters, and dumps glue and googly eyes into her hair from above. She then goes on to repeat this with Janos Kire on his arrival.
Ketchelbank - Club Lazenbury
While the Ravers are in Ketchelbank, the Malton City Zoo is holding its First Annual Aquarium Art Show. Subsequently, the group splits up and spends a fair amount of time among the exhibits and the animals making SugarBuzz Pixie Cups, viewing the remains of the Micro-Animal-Zombie-War, and getting items from a walking vending machine.
However there was still the matter of the surprise at the end of this run and the Zoo was becoming an increasingly dangerous venue. Little did anyone know what that foretold.
Havercroft - Club Maule, Club Wistow, a warehouse and Club Traves / Richmond Hills - Club Woodard
The surprise is unveiled - none of the other Ravers had heard of the Goth Store opening in Ackland Mall. There is much delighted shopping, despite the encroaching number of undead. RyuDougs' life is saved by a Bender B Rodriguezz, whom RyuDougs extolls, and later joins the group at the next stop.
A short lateral move is made to Wistow by much of the group, but the rest lag behind. The atmosphere is somewhat tense, despite the presence of a charming St. Bernard. The tension is prophetic as the club is assaulted by The Many horde.
In the ensuing chaos, Bette Noir is photographed and murdered by "the photographer." Reinforcements from the Regulators Alliance arrive. The Zookeepers revive cjspearing, who revives Doc Kelly and the chain of life continues.
Everyone catches up with one another at a warehouse still standing in Havercroft and the large group makes various introductions. Ram Rock Ed First, Morlond and cjspearing plan a race, while the rest decide to return to the Zoo for the annual Halloween festivities there. After being officially inducted into the Night Ravers, spearing appears to begin a sequence shapeshifting episodes. (If one accepts talking gingerbread men, then it's a short leap to people turning into bats.) Bender Rodriguezz stops by the warehouse, but gets into an altercation with cjspearing.
At this point, the history becomes somewhat sketchy. The Many again attack, causing the same amount of devastation. The Ravers scatter over the area, but are far too obstinate to be put down by such a humourless group as The Many.
Brooke Hills - The Crabbe Arms
Again the closest spot to the now besieged Zoo that still serves alcohol, the Ravers and Gingers regroup and lick their wounds (largely figuratively). Some, such as HungryKiwi and the Countess, do not return. The two groups maintain the pub so that the Zoo staffers can have a place to recuperate while they work on reclaiming the Zoo in time for the Halloween festivities.
Predictably, The Many attack the Zoo on Halloween, no doubt seeking to cause many tears, but really just adding annoyance. Many Ravers participate in the costume contest, despite them not technically being in "costume." The Ravers and Zookeepers work to contain the damage and then exchange fond farewells.
Yagoton - Club Botting
The arrival at Botting is tainted by the antics of an annoying child who murders Gogo and Tsubasa Kurosaki. While revives are plentiful in Yagoton, the brat spends a great deal of time on the ground providing some sport. cjspearing, who is at this point, a woman, spends a great deal of time attempting to taunt the local murderer populace in the hopes that revive fluid will render him male again, however even Alf Landon peaceably mingles with the clubgoers.
Quarlesbank - The Pitman Mansion
Though the Pitman Pitbulls seem to have vanished, the Ravers take to the mansion again in full high spirits. The Pitman library provides the necessary tome to return cjspearing to himself and make Kurosaki less serpentine.
Much time is spent scaring each other with ghost stories about Lord Pitman and shoring up the surrounding area, the former a particular favourite pastime of Doc Kelly. Carla Teach rejoins the group as does HungryKiwi. Despite Slip n' Slides and copious custard, the "ghosts," or more precisely "zombies," continue to pop out of dusty corners of the mansion. Though plans are made to move to a local nightclub, the large house is too difficult to hold and the Eastonwood Ferals spill into the mansion and kill a number of Ravers.
While taking refuge in a dark cinema, Physiognomist Cley stumbles back upon the group and a young woman named Crayon23 arrives with a gift for cjspearing.
West Boundwood - Club Lenton
In an effort to find less suicidal climes and provide some aid to The 'Sards, the Ravers and Gingers move on. The cycle of merriment and terror swings back towards merriment. Icehawg, having been fatally detained by someone claiming to be Charles Dickens, returns, but snoozies does not. betaraybill provides mead for the party as the weather gets progressively colder.
After another attempt at transformation, cjspearing becomes a small, carnivorous dinosaur. He and Crayon23 bond over a shared jar of "cherry mummies" whereafter she is inducted into the Night Ravers in short order. The Countess finally finds the group again and Gogo celebrates by creating a drink called a "Scruffy Countess" - cognac and Angus McWimple's Good Tyme Cola topped with a couple of dried cherries. As they work to restore the facilities in the local area, a relationship begins to develop between The Countess and Kurosaki.
Yagoton - Club Taviner and Club McClean
Another stop to restock at the local mall. The local annoying and murderous child is spotted again and given an aggressive warning to stay away. None the less he returns and is harshly escorted out by John Mortimer. A brief debate ensues about it and John points out the the "child" and others like him were part of the Kannibal Kids and should be dealt with as threats.
The "child" returns indignantly and Gogo challenges him to a game of Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots as a means of settling their differences. However, the hotheaded betaraybill's protective instincts take over and he dispatches the creature. A compatriot of its, another child experiment, arrives and murders Gogo in retaliation more than once.
Despite all of the bloodshed, there is a happy moment as Icehawg, Carla Teach and betaraybill assent to join the Ravers and it is agreed that moving to Club McClean would be wise as the snow begins to fall.
At McClean, the Ravers (and a certain Sgt Beebus) enjoy the hospitality of the local McZeds while scouts fan out to check the status of various landing points to "thread the needle" between the large roving hordes.
Raines Hills - Club Markey
Largely a stopover while choosing just the right stepping stones. Bette Noir and John Mortimer's journey back to check on the laggards at Club McClean nearly ends in snowy death as no entryway presents itself in Raines Hills. However, Dr. Jane White comes to the rescue with some timely axe work and continues to travel with them for a short while before returning to the Regulators and her team.
Doc Kelly begins experimenting with various substances even more exotic than usual, which results in Crayon23 apparently becoming a pink hamster. Icehawg and betaraybill become the resident security chiefs. The Countess and wsx remain behind at McClean.
Spracklingbank - Club Storer
The most spry and alert of the Ravers and Gingers arrive in time to begin setting up holiday decorations. The preparations are marred, however by Nergin, who refuses the usual hospitality of the group and murders Bette Noir. Noir is not revived for two days and wanders the snowy streets in a rather foul mood.
Janos Kire returns, sans his memory, and tensions remain high due to the killing, but at least the Countess catches up with the group. cjspearing, betaraybill, meself and Icehawg spend much time on the hunt, but slowly the mood lifts (partially due to successful hunting) and thoughts turn to the holidays.
Several chickens apparently follow cjspearing back from Fort Creedy and prove difficult to lose, though they do provide a ready source of food. Claiming to be the Norse spirit of Yule, betaraybill brings gifts for one and all and presents are exchanged.
Neo Nazi, one of Nergin's cohorts, appears and dispatching him seems to bring Janos Kire's memory back to him. An old friend of Crayon23's, metamorphius, arrives and joins in the festivities, including the makeshift hot tub on the roof.
After Bette Noir arranges for a few crates of liquor to arrive, the Ravers ring out 2007 in their usual eccentric and chaotic style in the company of the Gingerbread Men and friends.
